Simon addresses China's science, technology officials

Denis Simon, ASU vice provost for International Strategic Initiatives, addressed more than 400 officials from across China's science and technology system at the Pujiang Innovation Forum in Shanghai on Nov. 4.

The Pujiang Innovation Forum, which was organized by China's Ministry of Science and Technology and the Shanghai Municipal Government, is a high-level conference attended by top policymakers and thought leaders from national and local science and technology organizations in the People's Republic of China. 

Simon was among four keyote presenters who addressed the forum on innovation policy issues. An expert on China's science and technology system and innovation strategy, Simon reviewed the major challenges confronting China's innovation system. 

Despite the fact that China's innovation system is flush with research and development investment support and a large pool of scientists and engineers, the domestic innovation system still seems to be lagging behind the expectations of Chinese leaders, according to Simon. 

Over the longer term, however, he is optimistic about innovation performance in China. Due to the growing number of returning scientists and engineers coming back to work in China's research and development system, the increasing presence of foreign research and development centers in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and new reforms announced in July, China will steadily become a key player in the global innovation system, producing an array of both incremental and radical products as well as process innovations, he said.